DILG to Western Visayas mayors: Explain delay in cash aid

WAITING FOR AID Residents of Barangay Villa Anita in Iloilo City wait for their turn to receive the P6,000 aid during its distribution at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand. —PHOTO COURTESY OF ILOILO CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines —The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued show-cause orders to 11 mayors in Western Visayas region for their failure to meet the deadline for the distribution of the cash assistance under the government’s social amelioration program.

Ariel Iglesia, the DILG Western Visayas director, said the order was issued to six mayors in Iloilo, two in Aklan and one each in Antique, Capiz and Negros Occidental provinces.

The mayors in Iloilo include Jerry Treñas (Iloilo City), Geefre Alonsabe (Alimodian), Ma. Lina Holipas (Leon), Carina Flores (Oton), Suzette Alquisada (Tigbauan) and Roquito Tacsagon (Tubungan).

Also sent show-cause orders were Mayors Abencio Torres (Makato) and Josephine Iquiña (Malinao), both of Aklan; Rigil Kent Lim (Caluya in Antique); Amado Eriberto Castro (Dumalag in Capiz); and Marilyn Era (Calatrava in Negros Occidental).

The officials were made to explain within 48 hours upon receipt of the order why they should not be sanctioned for failing to meet the May 10 extended deadline of the cash aid distribution.

Treñas on Wednesday confirmed that he received the order on May 25 seeking explanation on the delay in the distribution of the cash assistance to city residents.

Difficulty

“We will have to answer. Admittedly, today is the last day [of the cash assistance distribution in the city],” he said.

Treñas said the delay was caused by various reasons, including difficulty in identifying beneficiaries because many were not qualified under the guidelines set by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The mayor earlier said the distribution was also hampered by the need to ensure that physical distancing and other health measures amid the coronavirus outbreak were followed.

In a statement, Evelyn Macapobre, the DSWD regional director, said that as of 8 p.m. of Tuesday, 102 of 133 local governments in the Western Visayas had completed the cash distribution.

Macapobre said 1,114,936 of the total 1,153,784 target beneficiaries outside of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the region had received the P6,000 aid.The DSWD released, through local governments, more than P6.6 billion for the cash grants in Western Visayas, she said.